Incheon sushi takeout in summer heat: 30-min walk home, Minyeong

For lunch I took out a sushi set from a place with great quality and great value!! It's called Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang (민영활어공장), a takeout-only shop famous for serving high-quality sushi at a very reasonable price!! ◟( ˘ ³˘)◞ ♡

Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch: location, hours and parking

Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch is at 55 Guwol-ro 276beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon, Unit 104, and it's a takeout-only shop open 10:00–19:00. Parking is paid: you can use the Moraenae Market public parking lot near Exit 3 of Moraenae Market Station, or the Mansu Bokgae public parking lot, 400 m down below the market.

Here's the outside!! From Exit 3 of Moraenae Market Station, walk straight down toward Jeil Bank and you'll see the market entrance. Turn in there and head toward Sexy Tteokbokki (섹시한 떡볶이), and the shop is right next to it :)

Even from far away you can see colorful sushi lined up by type, haha.

I heard Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang ran for three generations at Yeonan Pier!! When I told a friend I'd eaten sushi here, she said it's already well known for good value and good taste~ Besides sushi, they also sell mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) made with a special broth and fish prepared that same day. Perfect for hot weather like this, haha.

Is sushi takeout safe for a 30-minute walk in summer?

When you buy sushi at Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch, they put an ice pack in a cooler bag, so the sushi stayed cold all the way to my home, a 30-minute walk away. I worried it might spoil on the way, but I worried for nothing, haha.

Sushi menu at Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch

The display case at Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch had a big variety: freshwater eel sushi, yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) sushi, tuna, salmon, garlic salmon, shrimp, engawa (flatfish fin) sushi, futomaki (thick rolls) and more!! So, shall we take a slow look?! Each type is packed in several pieces, so you can buy just the sushi you like, which I loved.

There are also Moraenae Sushi, Special Sushi, Special Assorted Sushi and Omakase Sushi, which are combinations of different sushi in one pack!! The makeup can change depending on ingredient supply, so keep that in mind, haha.

Special Sushi and Special Assorted Sushi: 2 packs for ₩30,000

I bought a 10-piece pack each of Special Sushi and Special Assorted Sushi, ₩30,000 for both, ta-da!! Such good value.

• Special Sushi (10 pcs): flatfish 2, salmon 2, akami (lean tuna) 1, mekka 1, seared salmon 1, soy-marinated shrimp 1, freshwater eel 1, garlic shrimp 1
• Special Assorted Sushi (10 pcs): flatfish 3, salmon 2, raw shrimp 3, akami 2

Fish origin labels and the same-day sell-out rule

From the origin labels, most of the fish at Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang is domestic, and the rule is to sell out the ingredients prepared that day, I'm told :) Raw fish is tricky in hot weather, so it's reassuring that they handle fresh, good-quality ingredients :)

They packed it prettily in a pretty cooler bag with an ice pack!! I've never seen such a pretty cooler bag! And the owner is so kind, haha. A young person with a really good impression.

How did the sushi hold up after 30 minutes in the sun?

Thanks to Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang's cooler bag packaging, the sushi that came home through 30 minutes of sun was totally fine. I skipped home la-la-la, and the day was so hot and I walked about 30 minutes in the blazing sun, so I worried whether the sushi would be okay, but the ice pack plus cooler bag meant no problem, haha. Don't worry even in midsummer, everyone.

The owner generously packed wasabi, soy sauce, soup mix, rakkyo (pickled scallion bulbs) and pickled ginger too!! Mix one packet of the soup into 100 ml of water and you get exactly the soup you'd have at a sushi restaurant. It was my first time making it and it was fascinating, haha.

There are also small disposable dishes like this for pouring wasabi and soy sauce, so you don't have to wonder where to pour it for dipping, haha.

How do the Special Sushi and Special Assorted Sushi taste?

On Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang's Special Assorted Sushi (left) and Special Sushi (right), the fish on top is thick, big and very fresh!! The amounts of rice and wasabi were also just right, so I enjoyed it a lot. Good value and good quality too?! Reviews mention lots of regulars, and now I see why!!

I made the soup properly, then rakkyo, pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi!! A full lineup and great taste, a really satisfying meal, haha.

Top pick: the salmon sushi

You can feel the care in every piece of sushi. My top pick is the salmon sushi!! The thick salmon was soft and nutty, just excellent. The shrimp was plump and springy too, so satisfying to chew.

Look at this long slice of fish, everyone!! Big cuts, no fishy taste at all, fresh and clean, a hearty meal that made me happy!! I think I'll take out from here often whenever I visit Moraenae Market!!

Would I go back? 120%. Minyeong Hwareo Gongjang Moraenae Market Branch is a true, true favorite!! If you like sushi, I highly recommend trying it.